Latch arrangement for cargo restraint

ABSTRACT

An improved cargo restraint for installation on a preselected track mounted in or on the surface of a vehicle carrying the cargo and the restraint is mounted on a bracket which abuts the cargo to restrain the movement of the cargo and the restraint is slidingly movable on the track and has a locking position on the track wherein the bracket restrains the cargo and the restraint has no relative movement with respect to the track or the bracket or the vehicle so that there is no rattling of the restraint when in the locked position.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present patent document is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.No. 13/066,777, filed Apr. 26, 2011, the entirety of which is herebyincorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the cargo restraint art and more particularlyto a latch arrangement for restraining the horizontal and verticalmovement of cargo in vehicles such as aircraft, trucks, railroad freightcars and the like.

In the above mentioned transportation of cargo by various vehicles suchas cargo aircraft, vehicular trucks, railroad freight cars and the likeit is often necessary to restrain the cargo from undesired movementduring the transportation. In many applications, flexible cargo strapssecured to the structure of the vehicle and wrapped around the cargowith the ends of the straps secured together have heretofore beenutilized. Such flexible straps have not always been successful inrestraining variously configured cargos against all undesired movements.

In other applications, mechanical devices have been utilized for cargorestraint in vehicles, such as cargo loads mounted on pallets. Therestraints for such pallet type mounted cargo have proven to besatisfactory, but in many transportation vehicles special tracks,generally of a pre-designated configuration, are provided as mounted onor embedded in the load bearing surfaces such as the deck, side walls,bulkheads and even on the roofs of the cargo carrying vehicle and thecargo load is positioned over the tracks. Since the cargo loads may bein a regular, such as rectangular configuration as well as an irregularconfiguration, there have often been applications where cargo restraintsare required to be in contact with the load both in an aligned array aswell as a non-aligned array. In some prior restraint devices heretoforeproposed for use with restraining cargo in vehicles equipped with knowntrack configurations, the restraint devices were difficult to mount onor in connection with the track as well as remove from the track.Further, in such devices when the device was idle in the track and notin use for restraining the cargo, the devices would have some relativemovement with respect to the track and/or the surface supporting thetrack. Such relative movement often created rattling type noises in thetransportation vehicle as well as possible undue wear or breakage of thedevice or damage to the vehicle structure or track.

Thus, it has long been desired to provide a cargo restraint that canprovide restraint for any configuration of a cargo mounted in atransportation vehicle in which standardized tracks are mounted on oneor more of the cargo supporting structural surfaces of the vehicle. Ithas also been long desired to have such restraints that easily installedinto and removable from the tracks. It is yet additionally desired thatthe restraints provide secure restraint of the cargo against undesiredmovement in any direction depending on the location of the tracks ondecks, walls, bulkheads or roofs during transportation. It is evenfurther desired that such restraints may be left in the tracks when notrestraining cargo and will not rattle or have undesired relativemovement to the track or cargo bearing surface so that there is norattling of the restraints in order to minimize wear and tear as well aseliminate undesired noise.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved cargo restraint mountable in transportation vehicles.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a cargorestraint mountable on tracks in the transportation vehicle which tracksare of a known configuration.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a cargorestraint that is easily installed in the track and removable from thetracks and movable along the tracks to a desired location for restatingthe cargo.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such arestraint that may be securely held in the tracks when not restrainingcargo so that there is no relative movement between the restraint andthe tracks and/or the surface of the vehicle thereby eliminating rattleand undue wear or damage to the restraint and/or the vehicle.

The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved, in apreferred embodiment thereof by providing a movable cargo restraintmounted on a bracket for movement along a rail type track in which thetrack has a known, generally modified rectangular, tubular cross sectionwith a channel having a plurality of evenly spaced apertures in the topportion of the track extending along the length of the track. The trackper se does not form part of the present invention but because of theinterrelationship of the restraint of the present invention to thetrack, the track is described herein in detail to illustrated theenvironment in which the invention is utilized and to provide a betterunderstanding of the invention. Similarly, the bracket upon which therestraint may be mounted does not form a part of the present inventionas the restraint itself may be mounted on a bracket of any desiredconfiguration required to restrain cargo of any desired shape andarranged in any orientation in the vehicle. However, the restraintinteracts with the bracket and therefore portions of a bracket are shownand described herein so that the invention maybe more completelyunderstood.

Depending on the application, there may be a plurality of the tracksaffixed in spaced apart alignment to the surface comprising the base,floor, deck, wall, bulkhead or even the roof or ceiling, or the like, ofthe vehicle and in any orientation with respect to the direction ofgravity, and a plurality of the movable restraints are mounted on thetracks.

For purposes of the description of the present invention, the inventionis described as providing the restraints movably mounted on ahorizontally disposed track which track may be mounted on the surface sothat the top surface of the tracks are spaced above the surface of thestructure carrying the cargo or the tracks may be embedded in thestructure carrying the cargo with the upper surface of the tracks insubstantial planar alignment with the cargo carrying surface. However,as noted above, the restraint of the present invention is equally ableto be movably mounted on vertical or other oriented tracks. In somepreferred embodiments of the present invention, a single movablerestraint according to the principles of the present invention ismounted in a bracket and the restraint and the bracket is movable alongthe track, the bracket providing the load bearing surface for contactwith the cargo to provide the restraining force thereon. The restraintpositions the bracket to the desired location on the tracks where thebracket may engage the cargo to provide the restraint thereof. Manyconfigurations of brackets may be utilized in which the restraint may bemounted. In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, a pairof movable restraints according to the principles of the presentinvention are positioned in spaced apart, back to back relationship on abracket which is movable along the tracks.

The tracks, on which the restraint of the present invention and thebracket on which the restraint is mounted, have a generally modified boxchannel cross section. The box channel has a bottom wall, a pair ofopposed side walls and a top wall defining an open channel therebetween.The top wall of the track has centrally located connecting passageway ofa first transverse width extending along the length of the track andcommunicating with the channel. A plurality of circular apertures in anevenly spaced apart array are also provided extending through the topwall of the track along the connecting passageway and the apertures havea second transverse width of the diameter thereof greater than the firsttransverse width of the passageway. The apertures also communicate withthe channel. The apertures are circular in plan view. The top wall ofthe tracks has an inside surface and the inside surface of the top wallis spaced from the inside surface of the bottom wall. The top wall ofthe track at the connecting passageway between the apertures has anarrower transverse width than the transverse width of the top wall atthe apertures so that the inside surface of the top wall at theconnecting passageway between the apertures may provide a bearingsurface. A plurality of mounting holes may be provided in a spaced arrayalong the bottom wall of the track to allow a connecting member such asa screw to be inserted therethrough to secure the track on or in thesurface.

The restraint according to the principals of the present invention hasthree basic positions when mounted on the track of a transportationvehicle. These three positions are the locked position, wherein therestraint and the bracket to which it is coupled is prevented frommovement along the track, an engaged position wherein the restraint andthe bracket are moveable along the track but the restraint is not fixedinto a position on the track and a disengaged position wherein therestraint and the bracket to which it is attached may be readily removedfrom the track.

The restraint, in preferred embodiments of the present invention, isprovided with a control and the control member is operatively connectedto the other structural elements of the restraint and the control memberis movable between the three positions of the restraint so as tomanipulate the other structural members of the restraint into and out ofthe three positions thereof.

The control member has a handle portion which may be manually grasped tomove the control member between the three positions. The control memberhas a first end with walls defining a tab accepting aperture extendtherethrough. The control member also has a second end which iscomprised of a forked portion spaced from the first end. The second endhas a pair of spaced apart handle arms and each of the handle arms hasan outer surface and an inner surface. Inner walls defining a alignedaxle accepting apertures extend through both handle arms from the outersurface through the inner surface. the handle arms also have outer edgesdefining a plurality if three cam surfaces. A first of the three camsurfaces is a locking cam surface, a second of the three cam surfaces isa disengaging cam surface and the third of the three cam surfaces definean engaging cam surface.

A control pin is mounted on the outer surfaces of each of the handlearms and the control pins extend outwardly therefrom.

An axle member is positioned in the axle accepting apertures of thehandle arms and the handle arms are rotatably movable on the axle memberbetween the three positions of the restraint. The axle member has a bodyportion between the inner surfaces of the two handle arms and outerportions extending outwardly from the outer surface of the two handlearms to regions external the handle walls. The body portion of the axlemember is provided with a radially extending threaded aperture extendingtherethrough.

A tension stud is provided and the tension stud has a circular baseportion configured to slidably move in the channel of the track alongthe connecting passageway thereof and a stem portion that is at leastpartially threaded extending from the base portion and the threadedportion may threadingly engage the threaded radially extending aperturein the body portion of the axle member and extend therethrough toregions external the axle member. A nut may be placed on the outer endof the threaded portion to aid in restraining the tension stud in thedesired position in the axle member. The base portion clampingly engagesthe inside surface of the top wall of the track for the restraint in thelocked position thereof to prevent relative movement of the restraintand the bracket to which it is attached along the track. The base memberis free of clamping engagement with the track so as to be able to movein the channel of the track as the tension stud moves along theconnecting passageway for the restraint in the engaged position and thedisengaged position. The base portion of the tension stud has a diameterdimension that is less than the diameter dimension of the apertures inthe track so that the base portion may be placed into the track as wellas removed from the track at any of the apertures thereof for thecondition of the base portion aligned with one of the apertures in thetrack.

A hat shaped bottom washer is mounted on the stem portion of the tensionstud and has a washer portion and a tubular portion. The bottom surfaceof the washer portion of the hat shaped bottom washer is in bearingengagement with a surface of the bracket. A top washer is mounted on thestem portion of the tension stud and the top surface of the top washeris in bearing engagement with the cam surfaces of the handle arms.

A spring member is mounted on the stem portion of the tension studbetween the top washer and the bottom washer and, in preferredembodiments of the present invention the spring member is comprised of apair of oppositely disposed spring washers.

A lift arm is provided and the lift arm has a first end wall and a pairof spaced apart side walls extending from the first end wall to a secondend. The first end wall and the spaced apart side walls of the lift armhave a top surface and a bottom surface. A tab portion extends from thetop surface of the first end of the lift arm and the tab portion ismovable into and out of the tab accepting aperture in the handle portionof the control member and tab extends into the tab accepting aperturefor the restraint in the locked position thereof and free of penetrationinto the tab accepting aperture for the restraint in the engagedposition and the disengaged position thereof. Each of the spaced apartside walls of the lift arm have walls defining aligned back slotsextending therethrough and a first preselected direction towards thefirst end of the lift arm. The back slots extend in a first directionand each have a back end and a front end. The outer portions of the axlemember extend through the back slots of the lift arm to position thespaced apart side walls of the lift arm adjacent the outer surfaces ofthe spaced apart handle arms and the lift arm may rotate on the axlemember as well as move in limited reciprocating motion for the outerportions of the axle member moving between positions adjacent the backends of the back slots in the lift arms and the front ends of the backslots in the lift arm.

The bottom surface of the spaced apart side walls of the lift arm alsohave a guide surface extending upwardly towards the top surface in asecond direction different from the first direction from regionsadjacent the second end of the lift arm toward the first end of the liftarm and the guide surface. The guide surfaces have a blocking tab inregions adjacent the first end thereof. The guide surface is operativelyengagable with the control pins on the outer surfaces of the spacedapart handle arms of the control member so that the control pins slidetherealong.

The lift arm has walls defining a pair of aligned lift slots in thespaced apart side walls of the lift arm and the lift slots extend in adirection substantially parallel to the second direction of the guidesurface. The lift slots have a first end and a second end.

A plunger member is provided and the plunger member has a plunger headthat is sized to fit into the apertures in the track and a plunger stemextending upwardly therefrom. The plunger stem has a radially extendingpin accepting aperture therethrough in regions adjacent a top end of theplunger stem. A pin member extends through the lift slots in the liftarms and through the pin accepting aperture in the plunger stem. The pinmember has a head on one end thereof adjacent the outer surface of oneof the spaced apart side walls of the lift member and a cotter pinaccepting aperture on the other end thereof adjacent the outer surfaceof the other of the side walls of the lift arm. A washer is providedbetween the cotter pin accepting aperture and the outside surface of theadjacent side wall of the lift arm.

The plunger member moves reciprocatingly towards and away from the trackand the plunger head is positioned in one of the apertures of the trackto project into the channel of the track for the restraint in the lockedposition thereof and free of projection into an aperture of the trackfor the restraint in the engaged position and the disengaged position ofthe restraint. The plunger stem extends through a wall of the bracket onwhich the restraint is mounted and a compression spring is mounted onthe plunger stem between the plunger head and the wall of the bracket.The compression spring urges the plunger head into the aperture of thetrack and resists movement of the plunger head from the aperture in thetrack.

The plunger is spaced from the tension stud a preselected distance thatis different from the spacing of the apertures in the track. In apreferred embodiment of the present invention the spacing of the plungerfrom the tension stud is one and one half times the spacing of theapertures in the track. Such spacing of the plunger from the tensionstud insures that for the condition if the plunder head in the apertureof the track the base portion will be aligned with the inner surface ofthe top wall of the track between the apertures in the track and canbear against the inner surface of the connecting passageway for therestraint in the locked position thereof.

The restraint is mounted on the track adjacent the cargo load to berestrained with the control member in the upright position thereof, thatis, perpendicular to the track and such position defines the disengagedposition thereof to allow insertion and removal from the track. The baseportion of the tension stud is inserted through one of the apertures inthe track. The handle is then moved from the disengaged position to theengaged position wherein the control member is at about a 45 degreeangle to the track and the lower surface of the plunger head is insliding engagement with the outer surface of the top wall of the track.The restraint is moved along the track in either direction and the lowersurface of the plunger head slides along the outer surface of the topwall of the track. The plunger head will find the next aperture in thetrack and, under the influence of the compression spring, the plungerhead will drop into the aperture in the track. With the plunger head inthe aperture in the track, because of the difference in spacing betweenthe apertures in the track and the distance between the plunger and thetension stud, the base portion of the tension stud is thus aligned withthe inner surface of the top wall of the track between the apertures.The control member may then be moved into the locked positionsubstantially parallel to the track.

For the restraint in the disengaged position thereof, the disengagingcam surface of the handle arms of the control member bears against theupper surface of the top washer mounted on the stem portion of thetension stud and the spring member is released from tension so that thebase portion of the tension stud may slide in the channel of the track.In the disengaged position control pins are at the second end of theguide surface and the outer portions of the axle member is at the backend of the back slots in the spaced apart side walls of the lift member.In the disengaged position of the restraint, the headed pin is at thelower end of the lift slots in the side walls of the lift member. Theguide surface of the lift member and the lift slots extend insubstantially the same angular orientation for example 45 degrees fromthe plane of the track.

When the control member is rotatingly moved on the axle member into theengaged position, the control pins move along the guide surface towardsthe front end thereof and the headed pin moves in the lift slots towardsthe first end of the lift arm and the engaging cam surface of the handlearms bears against the upper surface of the top washer. The lift membermoves slightly forward on the outer portion of the axle. The springmember is still not compressed and the base portion of the tension studis free to move along in the channel in the track. When the plunger headis aligned with an aperture in the track the plunger head moves into theaperture under the force of the compression spring.

The control member is then moved into the locked position of therestraint. In the locked position of the restraint, the locking camsurface bears against the upper surface of the top washer and compressesthe spring against the bracket thereby forcing the base portion of thetension stud into clamping engagement with the inner surface of the topwall of the track. The control pins move along the guide surface towardthe second end of the lift member to cause the locking cam surface tomove into bearing relationship with the top washer thereby compressingthe spring and bringing the base portion of the tension stud into theclamping engagement with the track and preventing any further movementof the restraint with respect to the track which also eliminates therattle often present in prior restraint arrangements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects of the present invention may be more fullyunderstood from the following detailed description taken together withthe accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters refer tosimilar elements throughout and in which:

FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D illustrate a track useful in the practice of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is exploded view of a restraint according to the principles ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3A illustrates a tension stud useful in the practice of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3B is a detail view of the base portion of the tension stud of FIG.3A;

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate an axle member useful in the practice of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C illustrate a lift arm useful in the practice of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D and 6E illustrate the assembly of a control memberwith the axle and the lift arm as utilized in the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a plunger useful in the practice of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a hat shaped washer useful in the practice of thepresent invention; and,

FIG. 9 illustrates a headed pin useful in the practice of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND THE PRESENTLY PREFERREDEMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown thereon a preferredembodiment of the present invention. As noted above, even though thetrack upon which the restraint of the present invention interacts is notpart of the present invention but defines the environment in which therestraint operates to provide the desired objects of the presentinvention, the configuration of the track is described herein. FIGS. 1A,1B, 1C and 1D illustrate a generally rectangular tubular track on whichthe restraint of the present invention may be mounted along with thebracket to which the restraint is coupled. The track, generallydesignated 10, has a modified, rectangular, tubular box shaped channelconfiguration.

The box channel track 10 has a bottom wall 12, a pair of opposed sidewalls 14 and 16 and a top wall 18 defining an interior open channel 20therebetween. The top wall 18 of the track has a centrally locatedconnecting passageway 22 of a first transverse width W extending alongthe length of the track 10 and communicating with the channel 20. Aplurality of circular apertures 24 in an evenly spaced apart arrayindicated at S are also provided extending through the top wall 18 ofthe track 19 along the connecting passageway 22 and the apertures 24have a second transverse width of the diameter D 1 thereof greater thanthe first transverse width W of the passageway 22. The apertures 24 alsocommunicate with the channel 20. The apertures 24 are circular in planview. The top wall 18 of the track 10 has an inside surface 28 and theinside surface 28′ of the top wall 18 is spaced from the inside surface28″ of the bottom wall 12. The top wall 18 of the track 10 at theconnecting passageway 22 between the apertures 24 has a narrowertransverse width than the transverse width of the top wall 18 at theapertures 24 so that the inside surface 28′ of the top wall 18 at theconnecting passageway 22 between the apertures 24 may provide a bearingsurface. A plurality of mounting holes 30 may be provided in a spacedarray along the bottom wall 12 of the track to allow a connecting membersuch as a screw (not shown) to be inserted therethrough to secure thetrack on or in the surface upon which it is mounted. In someinstallations, the outer surface 18′ of the top wall 18 may be flushwith the surface upon which the cargo to be restrained rests and inother applications the track 10 may be mounted on the surface upon whichthe cargo to be restrained is positioned with the bottom surface 12′ ifthe bottom wall 12 resting on the surface.

Referring now to FIG. 2 there is shown an exploded view of a restraint40 of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The track 10 uponwhich the restraint 40 is mounted is omitted for clarity and only afragmentary portion of a bracket upon which the restraint is mounted isshown to illustrate the relationship between the restraint 40 and thebracket which must exist in order to utilize the restraint 40.

The restraint 40 has a tension stud 42, which is described below ingreater detail in connection with FIGS. 3A and 3B, having a circularbase portion 44 and a threaded stem like connecting portion 46 extendingfrom the base portion 44. The base portion 44 is adapted to slidinglymove in the channel 20 of the track 10. The base portion 44 has adiameter D2 that is less than the diameter D 1 of the apertures 24 inthe track 10 but provides a transverse distance that is greater than thetransverse distance W of the connecting passageway 22 of the track 10.The base portion 44 of the tension stud 42 fits through the apertures 24of the track 10 for positioning in the channel 20 of the track 10 duringutilization of the restraint 40. As shown on FIG. 2, there is afragmentary portion of a bracket 52 upon which the restraint 40 ismounted and the bracket 52 has walls defining an aperture 48 throughwhich the threaded connection portion 46 of the tension stub 42projects. A bottom washer 60 is positioned on the tension stud 42 andthe bottom washer 60 may be a hat shaped washer as shown on FIG. 2 andas described below in greater detail in connection with FIG. 8, having awasher portion 62 and a tubular portion 64. The washer portion 62 has abottom surface 66 which bears against the surface 50 of the bracket 52.In some embodiments of the present invention the hat shaped washer 60may be replaced by a flat washer without the tubular portion 64.

A top washer 68 is mounted on the tubular portion 64 of the hat shapedwasher 60 and has an upper surface 70 and a lower surface 72. A springmember 70 is mounted on the tubular portion 64 of the hat shaped washer60 and, in preferred embodiments of the present invention the springmember is comprised of a pair of spring washers 76 and 78. In thoseembodiments of the present invention wherein the hat shaped bottomwasher 60 is replaced by a flat washer. the top washer 70 and the springmember 74 are positioned directly on the connection portion of the 46 ofthe tension stub 42.

A control member 80 and a lift arm 82 are pivotally mounted on an axlemember 84 for pivotal motion in the direction of the arrow 86 as thecontrol member 80 and lift arm 82 move from a locked position as shownFIG. 2 through the engaged position as described above and to thedisengaged position as described above. The interconnection of thecontrol member 80, the lift arm 82 and the axle 84 is described below ingreater detail in connection with FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D and the axlemember 84 is described below in greater detail in connection with FIGS.4A and 4B. The axle member 84 has a threaded aperture, as shown on FIGS.4A and 4B, but not visible on FIG. 2, and the threaded connectionportion 46 of the tension stud 42 threadingly engages the threadedaperture in the axle member 84. A nut 89 is provided to threadinglyengage the connection portion 46 of the tension stub 42 that projectsabove the axle member 84 and bears against the axle member 84 to retainthe tension stub 42 in place.

A plunger 90 is provided and is spaced a preselected distance indicatedat L from the tension stud 42. The distance L is, in preferredembodiments of the present invention, one and one half the spacing S ofthe apertures 24 in the track 10. The plunger 90 has a plunger head 92and a plunger stem 94. The plunger head 92 has a dimension D3 that isslightly less than the dimension of the apertures 24 of the track 10 sothat the plunger head 92 is adapted to fit into the apertures 24 of thetrack 10. For the restraint 40 in the locked position shown in FIG. 2,the plunger head 92 is in the channel 20 of the track 10. For theplunger head in the aperture 24 of the track 10 because of therelationship of the dimensions Sand L, for the base portion 44 in thechannel 20 of the track 10, the base portion 44 is aligned with theinside surface 28′ of the connecting passageway 22 of the track 10. Thedimension D2 of the base portion 44 of the tension stem 42 is greaterthan the distance W of the track 10 at the connecting passageway 22.

A compression spring 98 is mounted on the plunger stem 94 and the lowersurface 98′ of the compression spring 98 bears against the upper surface92′ of the plunger head 92. A washer 100 is placed on the plunger stem94 and abuts the upper surface 98″ of the compression spring 98. Thecompression spring 98 urges the plunger 94 downwardly in the directionof the arrow 102. The plunger stem 94 has a pin receiving aperture 104extending radially therethrough. A headed pin 106, described in greaterdetail below in connection with FIG. 9, extends through lift slots 108in the lift arm 82 and through the pin receiving aperture in the plungerstem 94. The headed pin 106 is retained by cotter pin 110 extendingthrough a cotter pin receiving aperture 106′ (shown in FIG. 9) in theheaded pin 106.

In some embodiments of the present invention the headed pin 106 may bereplaced by a straight pin that is press fit into pin receiving aperture104 of the plunger stem 94.

The plunger stem 94 also passes through an aperture 112 in another wallsection 52′ of the bracket 52 and the wall section 52′ is positionedbetween the washer 100 and the lower surface 82′ of the lift arm 82 sothat the lower surface 52 a′ bears against the washer 100 and the uppersurface 52 a″ bears against a lower surface 82′ of the lift arm.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B there is shown thereon the tension stud42. The base portion 44 may have the configuration shown on FIG. 2 orthe configuration shown on FIGS. 3A and 3B, depending upon theparticular application. As noted above, the nut 89 threadingly engagesthe top 46 a of the threaded connection portion 46.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, there is shown thereon the axle member84 in a perspective view in FIG. 4A and in a plan view in FIG. 4B. Theaxle member 84 has a body portion 120 and outer portions 126 and 128.The control member 80 is rotatably mounted on the body portion 120 andthe lift arm 82 is rotatable mounted on the outer portions 126 and 128for rotation thereon. The body portion 120 has a radially extendingthreaded aperture 122 extending therethrough and the threaded connectionportion 46 of the tension stud 42 threadingly engages the threadedaperture 122 for retention therein. The nut 89 (not shown on FIGS. 4Aand 4B) bears against the body portion 120 when the nut 89 is tightenedon the top 46 a of the connection portion 46 of the tension stud 46.

Referring now to FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C, there is shown thereon the liftarm 82. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the lift arm 82 and FIG. 5C isa top plan view thereof. FIG. 5B is view along the line 5B-5B of FIG.5C. The lift arm 82 has first end wall 140 and a pair of spaced apartside walls 142 and 144 extending from the first end wall 140 to a secondend indicated at 150. The first end wall 140 and the pair of spacedapart sie walls 142 and 144 have an upper surface 146 and a lowersurface 148. A tab portion 152 extends upwardly from the first end wall140 and extends into a tab receiving aperture 80′ of a handle portion80′ of the control member 80 for the restraint in the locked positionthereof. as shown more clearly and described below in connection withFIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D and 6E and free of projecting into the tabreceiving aperture 80″ for the restraint in the engaged and disengagedpositions thereof. Each of the spaced apart side walls 142 and 144 havewalls 152′ defining aligned back slots 152 and the outer portions 126and 128 (FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B) of the axle member 84 are positioned inthe back slots 152. The lift arm 82, in addition to rotating on theouter portions 126 and 128 of the axle 84 also has a linear motion froma rear portion 152 a of the back slots 152 towards a front end 152 b ofthe back slots as the control member 80 is moved from the lockedposition thereof through the engaged position to the disengagedposition. The spaced apart side walls 142 and 146 of the lift arm 82also have a guide surface 154 and walls 160 defining the aligned liftslots 108 located in regions adjacent the first end 140 of the lift arm82. The lift slots 108 are angle upwardly at the same angle as the guidesurface 154. As noted above the headed pin 106 extends through the liftslots 108 and through the pin receiving aperture in the plunger 90 (FIG.2) thereby connecting the plunger 90 as part of the restraint 40 andmaintaining the distance L between the plunger 90 and the tension stud42. the first end 140 has an upstanding tab 157 that is adapted to fitinto the tab receiving aperture 80″ in the control member 80.

Referring now to FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D and 6E there is shown the assemblyof the lift arm 82, the axle 84 and the control member 80. FIGS. 6A, 6B,6C and 6D show the restraint in the locked position thereof and FIG. 6Dshows the restraint in the disengaged position thereof. As shownthereon, the control member 80 has a handle portion 80′ which may bemanually grasped to move the control member 80 between the locked,engaged and disengaged positions thereof. The handle portion 80′ has afirst end 170 thereof and the first end 170 has walls 172 defining thetab receiving aperture 80″ extending therethrough for receiving the tab157 of the lift arm 82 for the restraint in the locked position thereof.The control member 80 has a forked portion 174 with a pair of spaceapart substantially identical handle arms 176 and 178. Each of theengagement arms 1776 and 178 have inside surfaces 176′ and 178′,respectively, and outside surfaces 176″ and 178″, respectively. Each ofthe handle arms has walls 180 defining axle receiving aperture 182extending therethrough and the axle member 84 extends through the axlereceiving apertures 182 to allow the rotary motion of the control member80 thereon.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 6E, outer edges 186 of the handle arms 176and 178 have walls defining three cam surfaces 190, 192 and 194. The camsurface 192 is a locking cam surface and for the restraint 40 in thelocked position thereof the cam surface 192 bears down on the top washer68 (FIG. 2) compressing the springs 76 and 78 thereby forcing the baseportion 44 of the of the tension stud 42 into clamping engagement withthe inside surface 28′ of the track 10 to thereby hold the restraint 40and the bracket to which it is attached firmly in place as well aseliminating any relative movement of the restrain with respect to trackto eliminate any rattling.

As the handle portion 170 is rotated upwardly in the direction of thearrow 198, the engaging cam surface 194 bears on the top washer 68 withless force than exerted by the locked cam surface 192 to release theclamping action of the base 44 in the track 10 and the restraint 40 canmove forward an backward on the track 10 until the plunger head 92 isaligned with an aperture 24 of the track 10 and the compression spring98 pushes the plunger head 92 into the aperture 24 of the track 10 andthe handle portion 170 may then be moved into the locked position asshown in FIG. 6E. or into the disengaged position shown in FIG. 6D. Asthe handle 170 is moved further in the direction of the arrow 198 to thedisengaged position shown in FIG. 6D, pins 200 on the outside surfaces176′ and 178′ slide along the guide surface 154 which lifts the lift arm82 for rotation on the outer portions 126 and 28 of the axle member 84.As the lift arm rotates on the outer portion 126 and 128 of the of theaxle member 84 the headed pin 108 moves upwardly in the slots 108thereby raising the plunger 90 so that the plunder head 92 is free ofprojection into the aperture 24 of the track 10. In the disengagedposition of the restraint 40, the restraint may be moved along the track10 until the base portion 44 of the tension stud is aligned with anaperture 24 of the track 10 and the restraint 40 may lifted out of thetrack 10.

The axle member 84 may be retained in place by, for example, split ringwashers 153 and 155 positioned in grooves 171 (FIG. 4B) in the outerportions 126 and 128. Washers 181 may be placed between the split ringwashers 153 and 155 and the spaced apart side walls 142 and 144 of thelift arm 82.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is illustrated the plunger 90 asdescribed above in connection with FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIG. 8, there is illustrated the hat shaped bottomwasher 60 as described above in connection with FIG. 2. As describedabove, the hat shaped washer 60 has a washer portion 62 and a tubularportion 64. The bottom surface 66 is substantially planar for engagementwith the surface 50 of the wall portion 52 of the bracket. In otherpreferred embodiments of the present invention, the hat shaped washer 60may be replaced by a flat washer have the configuration of the washerportion 62 but including the tubular portion 64.

Referring now to FIG. 9 there is illustrated the headed pin 106 asdescribed above in connection with FIG. 2. The headed pin 106 has walls210 defining a cotter pin aperture 212 extending radially therethroughin regions adjacent the outer end 214. The cotter pin 110 is positionedin the cotter pin receiving aperture 212 and the washer 111 ispositioned on the headed pin 106 between the washer 111 and the sidewall 142 of the lift arm 82. The head 216 of the headed pin 106 bearsagainst the other side wall 144 of the lift arm 82. The headed pin 106also extend through the pin receiving aperture 104 of the plunger 90 sothat the plunger moves upwardly with the movement of the headed pin 108moving upwardly in the lift slots 108.

While particular embodiments and applications of the present inventionhave been above described and illustrated, the present invention is notlimited to the precise construction and arrangements disclosed. Thosepersons knowledgeable in the art may conceive of certain modifications,changes and variations in the detailed embodiments disclosed above asillustrative, to suit particular circumstances or products to be formed.The invention is therefore not intended to be limited to the preferredembodiments depicted, but only by the scope of the appended claims andthe reasonably equivalent apparatus and methods to those definedtherein.

1. A cargo restraint of the type mountable on a bracket and the cargorestraint and bracket movable along a track having a preselected design,the restraint comprising, in combination: a control member pivotallymovable between a locked position, an engaged position and a disengagedposition, said engaged position for the condition of said control memberbetween said locked position thereof and said disengaged positionthereof, and said control member having a handle portion and said handleportion having a first end, and said first end of said handle portionhaving walls defining a tab accepting aperture extending therethrough,said control member having a forked portion spaced from said first endand said forked portion having a pair of substantially identical spacedapart handle arms and each of said spaced apart handle arms having: anouter surface and an inner surface; inner walls defining an axleaperture extending therethrough from said outer surface to said innersurface and said axle apertures in an aligned orientation; outer edgesdefining a plurality of three cam surfaces, a first of said cam surfacesdefining a locking cam surface, a second of said cam surfaces defining adisengaging cam surface and a third of said cam surfaces defining anengaging cam surface; and, a control pin extending outwardly from saidouter surface of each of said handle arms; an axle member positioned insaid axle aperture of said handle arms and said axle member having abody portion intermediate pair of handle walls and outer portionsextending to regions external said outer surfaces of said handle walls,and said body portion having walls defining a threaded apertureextending therethrough, and said control member pivotally movable onsaid axle member between said locked position, said engaged position andsaid disengaged position; a tension stud having a base portion and athreaded connection portion extending from the base portion and saidthreaded portion threadingly engaging said threaded aperture in saidaxle member, and said base portion of said tension stud in clampingengagement with the track for the condition of said control member insaid locked position thereof and said base portion of said tension studfree of clamping engagement with the track for said control member insaid engaged position thereof and said disengaged position thereof. ahat shaped bottom washer having a washer portion and a tube portionmounted on said tension stud, and said washer portion of said bottomwasher bearing against the bracket; a top washer mounted on said tensionstud in bearing engagement with said cam surfaces of said handle arms; aspring member mounted on said tube portion of said bottom washer betweensaid top washer and said washer portion of said bottom washer forresisting movement of said top washer toward said bottom washer; a liftarm having a first end wall and a pair of spaced apart side wallsextending from said first end wall to a second end, and said first endwall and said spaced apart side walls having a top surface and a bottomsurface, a tab portion extending from said top surface of said first endwall for projection through said tab accepting aperture of said handleportion of said control member for said control member in said lockedposition thereof, and said spaced apart side walls having: wallsdefining a pair of aligned back slots in regions adjacent said secondend and said aligned slots extending in a first preselected directionand a first preselected distance towards said first end, and said backslots having a back end and a front end, and said outer portions of saidaxle member positioned in said aligned slots for movement therein; aguide surface adjacent said second end and extending toward said firstend from a back end to a forward end in a second preselected directiondifferent from said first preselected direction for sliding engagementwith said control pin on said outer surface of said handle arms; wallsdefining a pair of lift slots in regions adjacent said first end walland said lift slots extending substantially parallel to said secondpreselected direction and having a first end and a second end; a plungerspaced a first predetermined distance from said tension stud andoperatively connected to said lift arm in regions adjacent said firstend of said lift arm, and said plunger having a plunger stem and aplunger head, and said plunger moving in reciprocating directions andhaving a retracted position for said control member in said disengagedposition and a projecting position for said control member in saidengaged position and said locked position, said plunger stem havingwalls defining a pin accepting aperture therethrough; a resilient membermounted on said plunger stem at said plunger head and bearing againstthe bracket for urging said plunger into said projected position andresisting movement of said plunger into said retracted position; a pinmember extending through said lift slots in said lift arm and throughsaid pin accepting aperture in plunger stem for moving said plunger insaid reciprocating directions for movement of said control memberbetween said locked position and said disengaged position, and saidplunger head projecting into an aperture in the track for said controlmember in said locked position thereof and said engaged positionthereof.
 2. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein: said outerportions of axle member positioned adjacent said front end of saidaligned back slots in said side walls of said lift arm for said controlarm in said disengaged position; said outer portions of axle memberpositioned adjacent said back end of said aligned back slots in saidside walls of said lift arm for said control arm in said lockedposition; said locking cam surface of said handle arms compressing saidspring member for said control member in said locked position thereof;said control pin bearing against said back end of said guide surface forsaid control arm in said engaged position; said control pin bearingagainst said guide surface and moving there along from said back end tosaid front end thereof as said control member is moved from said lockedposition through said engaged position and into said disengaged positionthereof thereby moving said plunger from said projecting position tosaid retracted position.
 3. The arrangement defined in claim 2 wherein:said second preselected angle of said guide surface and said pinacceptenting slots is about 45 degrees.
 4. The arrangement defined inclaim 1 wherein: said predetermined spacing of said plunger from saidtension stud is on the order of one and one half times the spacing ofthe apertures in the rail.
 5. The arrangement defined in claim 1wherein: said predetermined spacing of said plunger from said tensionstud is on the order of one and one half inches.
 6. The arrangementdefined in claim 4 wherein: said plunger stem and said plunger head arecircular in cross section.
 7. The arrangement defined in claim 1 andfurther comprising: retaining rings on said outer portion of said axlemember.
 8. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein: said springmember comprises at least one spring washer.
 9. The arrangement definedin claim 8 wherein: said spring member comprises two spring washers. 10.The arrangement defined in claim 9 wherein: said spring washers are inopposed relationship.
 11. A cargo restraint of the type mountable on abracket and the cargo restraint and bracket movable along a track havinga preselected design, and wherein the track has a top wall a bottom wallspaced from the top wall and a pair of spaced apart side walls to definea channel therebetween, and a plurality of evenly spaced apart aperturesin the top wall extending therethrough in a first predetermined spacedrelationship and walls between the apertures defining connectingpassageways therebetween, and the top wall having an inside surface andan outside surface, and wherein the bracket is adapted for slidingmovement along the outside surface of the track and the bracket havingat least one surface for bearing against a cargo to be restrained, thebracket having a body member connected to the at least one surface andthe body member having a bottom surface for sliding engagement with theouter surface of the top wall of the track, and a top surface spacedfrom said bottom surface, and first walls defining a tension studreceiving aperture extending from the bottom surface to the top surface,second walls defining a plunger accepting aperture spaced a secondpredetermined distance from the tension stud receiving aperture, and theplunger accepting aperture having a plunger stem receiving portion and aplunger head receiving portion, and comprising in combination: a cargorestraint mounted on the bracket for selective movement therewith alongthe track, and said cargo restraint having: a tension stud having a stempositionable in the tension stem receiving aperture of the bracket and abase portion connected to said stem positionable in the channel of thetrack member and selectively positionable in the channel under theinsider surface of the top wall of the track, and selectivelypositionable in clamping contact with the inside surface of the top wallof the track in a first position and selectively free of clampingcontact in a second position; a plunger having a plunger stempositionable in the plunger stem receiving portion of the plungerreceiving aperture of the body member of the bracket and a plunger headselectively positionable in the plunger head receiving portion of theplunger receiving aperture of the body member of the bracket andselectively extendable therefrom between a first position projectingthrough an aperture of the plurality of apertures in the track andsecond position free of projection into an aperture in the track, andsaid plunger movable in reciprocating directions in the plungerreceiving aperture of said bracket between the position projecting intoan aperture of the track and the second position free of projecting intothe aperture of the track; a control member pivotally movable on thebracket between a locked position, an engaged position and a disengagedposition, said engaged position for the condition of said control memberbetween said locked position thereof and said disengaged positionthereof for providing said selective movement of said tension stud andsaid plunger, and said control member having a handle portion and saidhandle portion having a first end, and said first end of said handleportion having walls defining a tab accepting aperture extendingtherethrough, said control member having a forked portion spaced fromsaid first end, said forked portion of said control member operativelyconnected to said tension stud for limited reciprocal movement in thetension stud receiving aperture of the base portion towards and awayfrom the inside surface of the connecting passageway of the top wall ofthe track, and said base portion of said tension stud sized to allowinsertion thereof through an aperture of the plurality of apertures inthe top wall of said track and into the channel of the track; a springmember between the bracket and said control member for urging said baseportion of said tension stud into said clamping contact with the innersurface of the top wall of the track at the connecting passageway forsaid control member in said locked position thereof; said plungeroperatively connected to said control member for selectively controlledreciprocating movement between a locked position for the control memberin the locked position wherein said plunger head is in said firstposition thereof projecting into an aperture of said track member and adisengaged position for the control member in the disengaged positionwherein said plunger head is in the second position thereof free ofprojecting into an aperture of said track member, and said base memberof said tension stud is in said clamping contact with the inside surfaceof the top wall of the track at the connecting passageway thereof forsaid control member in said locked position thereof.
 12. The arrangementdefined in claim 11 wherein: said spring member comprises a pair ofspring washers.
 13. The arrangement defined in claim 12 and furthercomprising: a lift arm operatively connected to said control member andto said plunger for providing said reciprocating motion of said plungerin said plunger receiving cavity of the bracket; said secondpredetermined spacing is substantially one and one half said firstpredetermined spacing.
 14. The arrangement defined in claim 13 andfurther comprising: a tab on said lift arm in regions adjacent saidplunger and said tab positioned in said tab receiving aperture of saidhandle portion of said control member for said control member in saidlocked position thereof.
 15. The arrangement defined in claim 14 andfurther comprising: an axle member mounted on said stem portion of saidtension stud in spaced relationship to said base portion of tensionstud, and said control member mounted on said axle for said pivotalmovement thereof; a bottom washer mounted on said stem portion of saidtension stud and bearing against the top surface of the bracket, a topwasher mounted on said stem portion of said tension stud and bearingagainst said forked portion of said control member and said springmember positioned between said top washer and said bottom washer. 16.The arrangement defined in claim 15 wherein: said forked portion of saidcontrol member has a plurality of cam surfaces for bearing against saidtop washer comprising a locking cam surface, a disengaged cam surfaceand an engaged cam surface, and said locked cam surface pressing on saidtop washer to compress said spring member and said disengaged camsurface bearing against said top washer for substantially relieving saidcompression of said spring member.
 17. The arrangement defined in claim16 wherein: said lift arm mounted for limited pivotal movement on saidaxle between said locked position and said disengaged position.
 18. Thearrangement defined in claim 17 and further comprising: a resilientmember mounted on the plunger stem of said plunger in the plungerreceiving cavity of the body member between the body member and saidplunger head for urging said plunger head into an aperture in the track.